Points Added and Penalties

Throughout the entire class, Lin Yue kept her eyes almost unblinking as she watched Professor Flitwick, committing every word he said to memory.

During class, Professor Flitwick didn't hold back in praising Lin Yue. He had everyone observe the way she moved her wand and listen carefully to her pronunciation of the incantations.

He even excitedly told them that Lin Yue had already completed this year's Spell Learning and could continue with Self-directed Further Study.

The studious Ravenclaw Little Eagles silently steeled themselves, eager to surpass Lin Yue.

They were all children of the same age. Hearing the professor constantly praise Lin Yue, it was only natural that they would feel a little unconvinced and want to test themselves against her.

By comparison, the Hufflepuff Little Badgers were much more laid-back.

They responded to Professor Flitwick's praise of Lin Yue with a few exclamations: "Wow, she's amazing." "I'm so jealous of her brain. I wish I were that clever too."

Then they continued learning at their own unhurried pace.

The Little Badgers weren't in a hurry. They figured that studying ahead was a Ravenclaw thing, while they'd rather enjoy good food! As long as they passed their exams, that was good enough for them~

Of course, amid all the praise, some people did notice that Lin Yue's spellcasting movements were as precise as a machine's and that her incantations were completely devoid of inflection.

But everyone assumed it was just her habit, so they didn't pay it any mind.

After Charms Class, Lin Yue quickly packed her schoolbag and was the first to rush out of the classroom. She made it to the Great Hall as fast as she could, then once again began eating as if she were force-feeding herself.

By the time Professor Flitwick entered the Great Hall to eat, Lin Yue had already finished and left for the Library.

As soon as Professor Flitwick sat down at his place at the Teachers' Table, Professor McGonagall turned to look at him.

"Filius, were you the one who gave Ravenclaw points this morning?"

"I was." Professor Flitwick nodded cheerfully, looking absolutely delighted.

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows in surprise. She knew her colleague well.

He was mild-mannered, and as a former Duelling Master, he was usually very calm. For Filius to be this happy...

"What happened? What's made you so happy?"

"Oh," Professor Flitwick said with a smile, waving a hand. "If a student at your first lesson had already managed to perform all the Transfiguration Charms you're going to teach her this year, I think you'd be just as happy."

"Her?" Professor McGonagall looked toward the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. Those were the two houses that had had Filius's class that morning, and she was trying to figure out which girl he meant.

"Oh, it's Miss Lin Yue from my house," Professor Flitwick said proudly, glancing toward his own house's table. "She's right—"

"Why isn't she at the table?"

At the mention of Lin Yue, Professor McGonagall paused. It was for no other reason than that the impression Lin Yue had made on her at dinner the previous evening had been so vivid.

"Did Miss Lin Yue not come to eat?" Professor Flitwick asked with a frown, sounding concerned.

Professor McGonagall looked toward the Ravenclaw table, a suspicion forming in her mind.

"I'm sure you remember how Miss Lin Yue ate at dinner yesterday, Filius?"

At Professor McGonagall's reminder, Professor Flitwick instantly recalled the matter he'd completely forgotten.

It wasn't that he didn't care about his students. Lin Yue's excellence had simply made him forget about this other thing concerning her.

"I think she's already finished eating and left," Professor McGonagall said, offering her guess.

"All right." Professor Flitwick nodded.

"Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff have their first Transfiguration lesson this afternoon. I'm really looking forward to seeing how Miss Lin Yue does."

"I hope she performs just as well in Transfiguration as she did in Charms Class," Professor McGonagall said with a smile.

"You could ask her to demonstrate something for you," Professor Flitwick suggested.

"I will." Professor McGonagall nodded.

At the very center of the Teachers' Table, Headmaster Dumbledore listened to his two colleagues and quietly took a sip of pumpkin juice with twice the usual amount of sugar.

Exceptional talent, praise from her professors... Well, he couldn't help thinking of someone.

But it was too early to think of him. Miss Lin Yue hadn't reached the level he'd been at back then, after all.

What Headmaster Dumbledore didn't know was that before long, Lin Yue's performance would be even more impressive than that person's had been at the same age.

At that moment, what was Lin Yue doing in the Library, where two professors were discussing her and Headmaster Dumbledore was keeping her in mind?

She was looking for the four books Professor Flitwick had recommended.

Her gaze swept quickly over the rows of books on the shelves. It didn't take long for Lin Yue to find the four she needed.

After expressionlessly completing the borrowing procedure with Madam Pince, Lin Yue stuffed three of the four books into her schoolbag.

Her already-bulging schoolbag grew even bulkier, and it was visibly heavy.

Hoisting it onto her back, Lin Yue headed briskly toward the Transfiguration Classroom as if she didn't notice its weight. She didn't forget to read the book in her hand as she walked.

When she pushed open the door to the Transfiguration Classroom, it was empty. After lunch, Hogwarts had a fairly long break.

Of course, that break didn't exist for Lin Yue. After finding a seat in the first row, she continued reading the book she'd been studying on the way.

The afternoon passed quickly, and Professor McGonagall arrived at the Transfiguration Classroom before class.

Seeing Lin Yue already seated in the first row with a book, Professor McGonagall couldn't help nodding in approval. Every teacher liked a child who loved to learn.

"Good afternoon, Miss Lin Yue."

At the sound of her voice, Lin Yue emerged from her state of complete concentration and stood up straight, greeting Professor McGonagall properly.

"Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall."

Professor McGonagall nodded warmly. She was always gentle with well-mannered, sensible students who loved to learn.

"Professor Flitwick told me about your performance in Charms Class at lunch. Perhaps you wouldn't mind letting me see how much you've learned about Transfiguration?"

"Of course, Professor McGonagall." Lin Yue spoke in a flat tone and drew her wand from her pocket.

From the most basic Transfiguration Charm to the most difficult one taught in first year, the more Lin Yue demonstrated, the brighter Professor McGonagall's eyes grew.

By the end, Professor McGonagall couldn't help smiling. Just as Filius had said, this child really was a genius.

She glanced at the book on Lin Yue's desk and could tell at once that it was one Filius had set aside for Lin Yue to read.

Determined not to let her own subject fall behind, Professor McGonagall smiled at Lin Yue.

"Miss Lin Yue, would you like to study Transfiguration ahead of time as well?"

Lin Yue nodded immediately, without the slightest hesitation. "Yes, Professor McGonagall."

Professor McGonagall's delight grew, and with a broad smile she wrote down the titles of three books on Parchment and handed it to Lin Yue.

"You can read these books ahead of time. But Transfiguration Charms can be rather dangerous, so if you want to try anything, it would be best to have me nearby. You can come to my office whenever you like."

"My office is right beside the Gryffindor Common Room."

"Okay, thank you, Professor McGonagall." Lin Yue nodded mechanically, then turned and went back to her seat in the first row.

Professor McGonagall nodded with satisfaction. She didn't forget to award Ravenclaw forty points, either. Since Filius had given the girl forty, she couldn't give her any less!

And so, on the very first day of term, Ravenclaw gained a whopping eighty points, all thanks to the same person.

Likewise, in Transfiguration class, the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students were treated to Professor McGonagall's praise of Lin Yue.

The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students were all envious... and after class, they spread the news of Lin Yue's incredible feat: earning Ravenclaw eighty points in a single day.

The other young witches and wizards, who had already been wondering why Ravenclaw's score was climbing so quickly, were stunned when they heard. Professors had awarded them points before, but never so generously!

The professors, for their part, said that if those students could master the material as thoroughly as Lin Yue had ahead of time, they would be just as generous with points.

Of course, that was clearly unlikely, and not just for Muggle-born students.

Even young witches and wizards from Pure-blood families didn't get their own wands until they were eleven.

Before then, they generally didn't study magic. They were still too young, and their magic hadn't fully developed. Studying magic at that age would be like forcing a plant to grow by pulling on it.

And even at eleven, young witches and wizards' magic still hadn't fully developed. It was weak, and usually wasn't enough to support learning all the magic in their textbooks in a short time.

Only a few truly gifted wizards could do what Lin Yue had done with her extraordinary magical ability: learn all the magic in the first-year curriculum, and even go further, just by reading.

The Ravenclaw Little Eagles were absolutely delighted that Lin Yue had earned their house those eighty points.

So, both during dinner and afterward, they tried to chat with her and congratulate her.

But then they discovered, to their dismay... that they couldn't find an opportunity to talk to Lin Yue at all.

At dinner, Lin Yue finished eating in three and a half minutes. The Little Eagles didn't even dare try to talk to her while she was eating like that...

Three and a half minutes later, she got up and left, then went straight back to her Dormitory to read. They couldn't catch her.

Hermione had of course heard that Lin Yue had been awarded eighty points in a single day.

After hearing the news, she stared at the plate in front of her and muttered to herself.

"Oh my goodness, oh my goodness... Eighty points. I'll have to study even harder."

Neville, sitting beside her, silently shifted farther away.

When Qiuzhang and Marietta returned to the Dormitory, they saw Lin Yue sitting at her desk reading.

They exchanged a glance and both instinctively softened their footsteps, trying not to disturb Lin Yue's studies.

Marietta cautiously glanced at Lin Yue, then walked over and sat on her friend Qiuzhang's bed.

"Lin Yue's study habits... are terrifying."

She hadn't come back to rest at noon, and now, after classes in the evening, she was back to reading without a break.

Qiuzhang lowered her voice too and shook her head at Marietta.

"That's not all. I got up to use the bathroom at three-thirty last night, and she was still studying. Three-thirty in the morning!"

"Three-thirty?!" Marietta clapped a hand over her mouth, stifling her gasp.

Qiuzhang nodded emphatically.

"Merlin, does she ever sleep?"

"I asked..." Qiuzhang paused. "She said she goes to bed at four and gets up at five to study."

"Ugh..." Marietta sucked in a sharp breath. When she looked back at Lin Yue, there was awe in her eyes, along with a touch of fear.

It was terrifying, that kind of relentless determination.

After chatting a little longer and sharing their amazement, Qiuzhang and Marietta both returned to their desks and began reading.

There was a reason Ravenclaw's Little Eagles did so well. They really did spend most of their free time studying.

Of course, they couldn't compare themselves to Lin Yue...

Qiuzhang and Marietta studied until eleven, then took turns showering, drying their hair, and getting into bed.

Lin Yue still had her lamp on as she read, and hadn't even changed her posture.

She had finished two of the four books Professor Flitwick had given her.

She'd slowed down because the material in these four books was clearly more difficult than the first-year textbooks.

It really did take Lin Yue some time to fully understand and master it, but even so, the time it took still dissatisfied her.

Or rather... she instinctively felt that she should be dissatisfied. As for why she felt that way, that was a question for whoever had instilled that idea in her...

Lin Yue dug her nails into her arm twice, leaving two bruises, then expressionlessly opened the third book.

At four in the morning, Lin Yue closed the book on schedule. She had finally finished the third one before her allotted bedtime.

But it was still... too late. She raised a hand and dug her nails into her arm again, then took off her shoes and socks and lay down in bed.

After forcing herself to fall asleep as quickly as possible, she was so exhausted and had been without emotion for so long that she couldn't even dream.

The moment an hour had passed, she opened her eyes.

After taking care of everything, including showering and washing up, Lin Yue turned on the light again and continued reading the fourth book Professor Flitwick had recommended.